Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello, all! I have had 2 RES for about 2.5 years, and they were from the same hatching. I always thought they were both males intil recently, when one started "flirting" with the other. By flirting I mean shaking his nails in the other's face, constantly bothering it. This same flirtatious turtle is now being very agressive, attacking the other, so that now they both have bite marks on them... I don't know what to do. DO I have to seperate them, because I can't afford another tank and equipment. A friend says I should hibernate them, but don't actually know what that entails.
PLease any suggestions would be very helpful! Thanks... Misty

I think the other may be a female. Biting and flirting is all a part of male turtle behaviour when its time to breed. To be sure, check the positions of the cloaca, or, since you have RES's, than check the nails. Males have long nails used for "fanning" the female's face. Females have normal short nails (even one of my RES wich is not even a year old already developed long nails). But, if you are still worried, i suggest to seperate them. Or, if you are interested in breeding them (and you're POSITIVE you have both sexes), try seperating them for a while. Then, slowly try to reintroduce them once in a while. If the female responds to the males effort, then they may mate (but i believe biting and fanning is all part of the ritual, just keep the wounds clean, its normal for a sexualy driven male to try and try and try). Hope this helps
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My "babies" :
1.0.0 Indo BTS (Tiliqua gigas gigas)
0.0.1 Rainbow skinks (Mabuya multifasciata)
1.0.2 RES (Trachemys scripta elegans)
0.0.3 Amboina box turtles (Cuora amboinensis)
1.0.0 Chinese softshell (Trionyx sinensis)
1.0.0 Asian leaf turtle (Cyclemys dentata)
1.0.0 Leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius)
And still growing...

I'd separate them.
Long story of how I saw this but the end of the story is... I met a woman who has 2 male RES, she had no idea they were both male. They fight, she didn't seem to care, one of them was missing toes, not just nails but entire toes. I told her to separate them I never saw her again.. no telling what she did with them.
A Rubbermaid storage box can make a great extra tank. You can buy used filters & other equipment at garage sales, flea markets, eBay. There are ways to get another tank going for less money than having to buy all new stuff at the pet store. Check around & see what you can find, & good luck!
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PHRatz